Search Engines: If you use multiple research resources for researching the law, why not do the same when searching the web? If you’re a one-horse searcher (Google, MSN, Yahoo, etc.), give the nag a rest. For quick and dirty searching it makes sense to use the search engine you know best, but if you need to search widely for something hard-to-find, be creative. Robert Ambrogi reminded me of this when he posted about Scroogle (on 1/21), which of course leads one to GoogleWatch. So don’t get into a research rut. You don’t let Thomson/West or MatthewBender/Lexis do all your research for you – do you? Pretend the web is like a wonderful old bookstore or big library, the kind where you used to spend hours just wandering around, finding gold in every nook and cranny.
Bankruptcy and Family Law: If you get a request for a recent (2005) Oregon bankruptcy case with family law issues, it is possibly this one: “Judge Perris recently issued a decision in a bankruptcy case that has a good discussion of whether a divorce settlement entered into on the eve of bankruptcy constitutes a fraudulent transfer under bankruptcy law and how to value the potential fraudulent transfer claim against the ex-spouse in a Chapter 13 bankruptcy.” In re Dale Gordon, August 31, 2005, (Case No. 04-38864-elp13) and can be found here and on Wexis (law librarian shorthand for Westlaw or Lexis). OLI also presented a “Bankruptcy Law for Family Law Practitioners” program in 2004. We have a copy of the course materials and so might other county law libraries around the state.
MILITARY STATUS VERIFICATION: I posted this in October but have had requests to repost it: If you need to verify non-military status for the purpose of complying with new SMCRA (aka SCRA – these are the amendments to the Soldier and Sailor Civil Relief Act of 1940), here is one place to go if you have a Social Security number. If you don’t have a SS#, here is a list of addresses for 5 branches of the military. Additional information about SCRA (Servicemember Civil Relief Act) can be found at the ABA web site, here. Let me know if you find other useful sources of this information. Also, the ABA is coming out with their military divorce handbook soon.
New Solo Practitioner Blog: This is new only to me. It has been around since April 2005. Might be worth following. Live dangerously and try it out.
Life-Work in the Balance: A billing tool for attorneys. Is this scary or what? Thanks to Stark County Law Library and The Practice for the links.
Oregon Judges Criminal Benchbook: The “OJD Judges Criminal Benchbook 2005” is now online at the OJD website, here. Be warned – it is 1,100 pages, PDF. We’re going to ask if they can come up with alternative viewing and searching options. But it is still good to have the update.
Bug Bash: This from the week of 1/16/06, is so funny – sad, true, but still, very funny. It’s a good weekly cartoon and even the non-techies amongst you might find much to learn and laugh along with it. It doesn’t have the underlying bitterness of Dilbert, but as they say, “it’s all good.” I grew up on cartoons so forgive me my craving for a daily fix of Mutts, Zitts, and all the rest. And then there is the quintessential librarian cartoon, here.
Real Estate and that 6% Commission: If you have ever bought or sold a house, you might want to read on. The Oregonian ran a very (VERY) interesting story on Tuesday, on page 3 of the Business section (why isn’t there a Labor section of the newspaper?). You can find the story more easily at its original home, the NYT. The story was written by Glen Justice, appears on 1/12/06, with the headline, “Lobbying to Sell Your House,” and here is the direct link. It is about yet another effort to beat back the lobbying power of the National Association of Realtors.
Single Lawyers: For lawyers who believe there is life after work, even though it is with another lawyer, find your match at Lawyers in Love dating service. (Insert Gallic shrug here. Surely a very smart lawyer would rather be matched up with a law librarian, eh? 🙂 Thanks to Stark County Law Library for the link (and their superlative blawg) to The Practice, which took us to LawyersInLove.